Falling in Love For Ickle Firsties
by Pride's Prejudice
Summary: What if there was no Voldemort when Harry went to school? What if there was no Voldemort to begin with? No war. No prophecy. What if Harry James Potter was Rose Lily Potter? What if House unity wasn't a complete issue? Fem!h/DM
1. The Beginning

**The story you are seeing written by me is on fanfiction. Is there REALLY a question about whether I own it or not? **

**NO. Does J.k Rowling write fanfictions? NO (I don't think lol). WHO OWNS IT IN THIS CASE?**

**Please read :) then review. Gracias. **

"Mrs. Potter, I need you to PUSH!" the medi-witch yelled. Lily could hardly hear her over the sound of her own screaming of course, but she understood enough to just give one last mighty push.

Still not over.

"JAMES YOU BASTARD! THIS WAS NEVER PART OF THE PLAN! I MAY NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS, POTTER!" she screeched in her husbands face. Lily's face was redder than her hair, her entire head seeming as if it had gone up in flame.

And James's face was as pale as Nearly Headless Nick, contrasting quite brilliantly with his unruly black hair that he could already see he had passed on to his child.

"Honey," he tried to reason desperately. "We agreed it was time to have children! Remember, you were ECSTATIC when you found out you were pregnant! And think, just yesterday you were complaining that the baby wasn't coming fast enough! Now here it is!"

James's desperate attempts at soothing his wife were futile.

"Yes I do remember that. And it's STILL NOT COMING FAST ENOUGH! NOW GET IT OUT OF ME OR I MAY JUST DIE. AND I'M TAKING YOU DOWN WITH ME!"

"Mrs. Potter, please one more big push and it will be over!" the Medi-witch pleaded (James's vaguely remembered her name being Erma). She had heard couples yelling like this during her training, but being the one under the stress was really quite frightening. And she had heard a lot about this couple. Lily and James Potter. With a bit more training, apparently these two could rank right up there with Dumbledore. And they were about a sixth his age.

She was handling their child.

That thought alone gave her the creeps. Imagine what her powers would be like!

Wait. Her. She knows it's a HER. IT WAS OVER. Immediately she noticed the screaming had stopped and turned to low pants.

She was holding little baby Potter-Evans in her hands.

"Mrs. Potter. Would you like to hold your baby girl?" Erma beamed.

Tears rolled down Lily's eyes as she nodded frantically.

"Yes! Yes please, give me my baby." The nurse wrapped the small pink hunk of flesh in a small pink blanket and handed her to her mother.

Lily gazed at her face, looking at her own bright green eyes and a mess of James's black mop. Her lips lit up in a great big grin as her gaze averted to James. He stared in shock, a look of wonder and enthrallment alight in his face. He looked at her like he had just seen God for the first time, and God was a little girl.

His baby girl. And he was absolutely wrapped around her little fingers.

Lily felt no jealousy that his love was now split two ways.

Hers was too.

*************RLP************

Dorea was pacing frantically up and down the waiting room.

"Ma'am, would you please sit down, your making everyone else very nervous," the receptionist asked quietly. She knew who this was and she did not want to upset her.

Dorea Potter nee Black.

"No, I will NOT sit down!" she snapped. "My son is in there with my daughter in law who is giving birth to their first child. I'm going to be a GRANDMOTHER. And I CAN'T WAIT! Which is the problem. I CAN'T WAIT and yet here I am, WAITING. And I swear to Merlin, pacing makes the time go by faster so PACE I WILL!" she told the now cowering woman, a manic gleam in her eye. The receptionist nodded dumbly and turned back to her paper work.

Dorea sighed and wondered what was taking them so long. Were there complications? Was it a still birth? She didn't think anybodies heart could take that.

"Dorea! Really!" Sirius shouted. The black haired man occupied the chair closest to the room holding two of his best friends, and he sat anxiously on the edge of his chair awaiting the arrival of his new honorary nephew or niece. But he somehow knew everything was fine. "Everything will be fine. If something was going wrong then James's would have come out and told us!" he reasoned.

"But what if something DID happen and James didn't want to leave her side, and there's blood everywhere, and the baby is dead and they are desperately trying to save Lily's life!" she shot back frantically.

"Dorea, if that were the case, they would have had a Healer come out and tell us. They know we are here. I'm sure they wouldn't leave us like this if something went wrong," Remus told her, walking up and putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. Dorea smiled at the two boys she had become to fond of over the past nine years.

"Well, I just want a sign that it's fine," she told the boys wearily. They nodded in understanding.

"JAMES YOU BASTARD! THIS WAS NEVER PART OF THE PLAN! I MAY NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS, POTTER!"

She sighed again, this time in relief. Everything was going well. The boys on the other hand, were wincing in pity for their best mate.

Once more the heated yell of Lily tore through the hospital.

"STILL NOT COMING FAST ENOUGH! NOW GET IT OUT OF ME OR I MAY JUST DIE. AND I'M TAKING YOU DOWN WITH ME!"

Dorea chuckled. Yes everything was going just fine.

After a few moments of silence, James burst out of the room Lily was in with a glow that had never been there before. It was different from the glow that was there when he stood at the alter with Lily, or the glow he got whenever he looked at her. This wasn't the glow of a man in love with his wife. This was the glow of a man in love with his child.

"IT'S A GIRL!" he shouted, tears pouring down his face. Dorea smiled. She should have known.

It was the glow of a man in love with his daughter.

Dorea rushed forward and enveloped her only son, her pride and joy, in her arms. Sirius and Remus quickly joined, and were surprised to find tears in their eyes as well. They had a niece. A perfect niece.

"James, I can tell right now. You're going to spoil her rotten until she actually believes she's a princess," Dorea whispered in James's ear. James gave her a giddy smile.

"But knowing my luck she'll have just enough Lily in her to remind her that she's not and will never notice she's better than everyone else," he whispered fervently, telling his daughters future.

"And how do you know she'll be better than everyone else?" his mother asked, a knowing glint in her eye.

"Because I've looked into her eyes and seen her fragile little face and hands and feet and I just know. She will be the jewel of the country and the Princess of Hogwarts," the raven haired man told his mother sincerely.

"Son, every man says that about their daughter," Dorea told her son with a little chuckle.

"Yes, but when I say it, it's true."

Remus and Sirius were too happy and too choked up to say a single word.

**************RLP****************

"James, love, we need you back in here!" Lily yelled. She could barely see him from her spot on the bed, but she could see him in a very serious conversation with his mother.

Well, he was serious. Dorea was secretly laughing inside. Lily could tell.

James's turned towards her room and ran so fast he almost tripped. Lily chuckled to herself and watched as her made his way over to her bed.

"Would you like to hold her, dear?" she asked. James's nodded, as if in awe that he could touch such a beautiful creature. The pink little bundle found its way into his arms and he almost fainted with joy.

This was heaven. His gorgeous wife and his beautiful daughter by his side. Perfection.

"Do you have a name for her?" Erma asked, holding a pen and a sheet of paper.

James glanced at his wife and asked the Healer for another moment. She nodded mutely and walked to the other side of the room giving them some privacy.

"I think we should follow your family's tradition," he said abruptly.

"What tradition?" Lily asked, a confused expression etched onto her face.

"The flower names. Your mom is Jasmine, your sister is Petunia, and you're Lily. I think she should have one too."

"And I think that would mean a lot to my mum. Brilliant," Lily beamed.

"So what should we call her?" James asked anxiously. Lily took one more glance down at her daughters face before answering.

"Rose. Just look at her. She's going to be a real beauty," Lily told her husband, in a bit of a daze.

"Beautiful, just like her mother," James's reminded her, running a finger down the side of her face. Lily smiled up at him. "It also looks like she may just inherit your temper too," he chuckled, listening to the new-born give a wonderfully large wail.

"Well, every rose has its thorns," Lily reminded James with a wink.

"They most certainly do. Those bullies better stay out of your way," he cooed to his brilliantly stunning daughter. Otherwise they will definitely feel the wrath of my Rose Lily Potter."

*********RLP*********

"Would you two like to go out with your baby together, or would Mr. Potter like to go out first with her, and the Mrs. Potter join him in a few minutes?" Erma asked.

"What?" Lily asked. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. "I thought I would have to stay in the bed for a few days, and so would the baby," Lily said.

"Perhaps in the muggle world, but not here miss. That's what these are for," she chuckled, pulling her wand out of her robes. Lily blushed a brilliant scarlet and mumbled something that sounded vaguely like 'of course.'

"We'll wait to go out together. How long will it take?" James asked.

"Just a few minutes. I just have to scan to make sure everything is in order! You will be quite weak, though," Erma said, directing the last comment at Lily. "I will bring in a wheel chair and I suggest you stay in it until you are able to get a long nights sleep at home."

Lily nodded. "Sounds like a plan," she replied. The Medi-witch smiled in answer.

A few scans and a wheel chair later, Rose was back in Lily's arms (where she belonged, in Lily's opinion) and James was pushing her chair out of the room into the enthusiastic site of their friends.

"LILYFLOWER!" Sirius shrieked.

"SIRIUS MY LOVE!" she screamed back.

Leaning in, he stage whispered, "Does James know the baby's not his yet?"

James laughed and shoved Sirius away.

"Shut it, Padfoot. I know very well all of your plans to take my wonderful wife away from me."

"And how do you know I haven't succeeded?" he asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Padfoot that is just sick," the sandy haired man said, deciding it was finally time to break up the little love fest.

"No, Mooney, what's sick is that I haven't eaten in the last FIVE HOURS. That is sick," Sirius yelled. He blinked at the blanket in Lily's arms. "What's that?" he asked, pointing at the bundle.

Lily and James beamed.

"This," Lily started, repositioning her daughter to make her face more visible to the crowd, "is Rose Lily Potter."

Dorea cooed and immediately took the baby girl.

"This is my granddaughter. This is my granddaughter." She repeated that same sentence a few times as if trying to convince her that it was real. That none of this was a dream. Her son has finally had his daughter with the woman that he fell in love with nine years ago, on his first train ride to Hogwarts.

"Hey, Dorea! Quit hogging my niece!" Remus shouted, making grabbing motions for the new born.

The woman nodded, tears finally welling up in her eyes. She handed the most amazing baby girl over to her honorary son.

"Hey, Rose. I'm your Uncle Remus. And I'll teach you everything there is to know about planning the perfect prank when you grow up. And I bet you'll never even get in trouble. All you'll have to do it open those big green eyes of yours and every teacher will be putty in your hands. Well, except maybe McGonagall. Just avoid her." Remus continued to coo nonsense until Sirius held out his arms. Remus gave the baby to him and everyone watched as he positively doted on her.

"I'm going to spoil you rotten, you know that? I really am. I'll buy you your first broom, and I'll even buy the top of the line whenever I can. After all, every Quidditch star deserves the best broom. You'll be flying around like a pro by the time you're five. I promise. Want to know a secret? Well, between your Uncle Remus, your father and myself, you could probably get every single thing you will ever want. You're going to be our little Princess. And since Remus will teach everything you need to know about planning the prank, I'll teach you everything you need to know about how to make it entertaining. Remus is good with time and place and magic, but I, your amazing Uncle Sirius, know about humor."

Everyone watched as tears came down from his eyes as well. There was something special about Rose Lily Potter. She could make any man worship her. And it was the Marauders job to make sure she knew how.

********RLP***********

After all the cooing and all the commenting was done, and James had his daughter back, Lily started to enquire after _her_ best friends. She loved Sirius and Remus, but she wanted to also share this moment with her girls. Well, her girls, plus a girls husband.

"Where's Alice, Frank and Ella?" she questioned. "I thought they would be here."

"Well, my wonderful Lilyflower, they are out buying some last minute items. As you wanted to keep the gender a surprise, they have positioned themselves in front of the nearest baby store, awaiting our call in order to buy some appropriate clothing," Sirius informed her.

"I assume you have called them then, Sirius?"

"Eh…I have to go to the bathroom." Sirius ran out of the waiting room and into the hallway, already taking his two way mirror out of his pocket. Everyone in their little group had one. They were quite ingenious. You just had to tap them and say the name of the person you wished to speak to, and voila!

They could hear his scream from the other side of the door as he called Alice.

"IT'S A GIRL!"

Everyone started laughing lightly as Sirius casually strolled back into the room.

"Bladder empty, Padfoot?" James snickered.

"Indeed."

**********RLP*********

10 minutes later, the three who were previously missing burst into the room, one holding a baby barely older than Rose, conveniently all yelling at the same time.

"LILY WHAT DID YOU NAME HER?"

"JAMES, HOW BAD WAS IT?"

"LILY, HOW ARE YOU FEELING?"

Then simultaneously…

"PEOPLE, WHERE IS MY NIECE?"

They were all panting, looking as if they had just run up the eight flights of stairs. They quickly tripped up to the couple and Ella took the baby from James.

"Aw, aren't you just precious! You have your mothers beautiful eyes and you father's stunning hair. Yes I do believe that you and Pansy will get along quite wonderfully," the brunette fussed.

"Cedrella Parkinson, you will hand that baby over this instant!" Alice demanded stomping her foot. The woman rolled her eyes, but handed the baby over.

"Hey, baby girl! I am going to make sure you know all about fashion as you grow up. Ok? Ella will probably teach you everything you have to know about romance; she's an expert. Merlin knows your parents aren't. But I will be the one to pamper you. I promise. Oh I can't believe it! Imagine, just yesterday I was in that SAME ROOM AS YOU Lily, giving birth to Neville."

Alice turned to her own baby in her husbands arms and softly stroked his head.

"Alice, what do you mean we can't teach her about romance?" Lily demanded, completely ignoring Alice's latter comment.

Everyone just scoffed, not bothering to answer. Even James.

"Anyway, yes it was quite convenient that my wife went into labor just as they finished cleaning the room," James commented. His gaze averted to their other brunette friend. He stared at Ella as if trying to figure out what was missing. Suddenly it clicked. "Hey, Ella, where's Pansy?" he asked.

"At home with her father. Will someone PLEASE just tell me her NAME?" Ella whined. Dorea smiled at the baby in Alice's arms.

"Rose. Rose Lily Potter."


	2. Through the Ages

**I'm quite disappointed. 3 reviews. Tut tut. But thank you so much to those 3 reviewers :) you made my day!**

**Chapter two and I still don't own anything. **

Rose was growing, and Lily knew it. Not just physically but magically. It was July 31st, her first birthday, and throughout that year alone she had caused two broken vases, three cracked windows and an explosion of paper out of the basket of work that James had at home. All because of her temper tantrums.

Luckily, she had these at very rare intervals. She was a relatively calm baby, other than these uncommon events. Ate when she was supposed to, fell asleep relatively quickly, the things that aren't supposed to go terribly smoothly.

That particular morning proceeded as usual, with the sun shining and Rose gently waking. Lily and James quietly crept into her bedroom with huge grins on their faces.

"Happy birthday, baby girl!" Lily giggled.

"On the contrary, love. She's a big girl now. My little princess is growing up," James pouted.

"James…she still can't understand a word you're saying," Lily pointed out.

"I know, but she will soon!"

"Not really James. You still have oodles of time to spend with your girl before she starts talking back, don't you worry," Lily smirked. James rolled his eyes and picked Rose out of her crib.

"And how does it feel to be one year old, missy?" James questioned. She stared at him with quizzical eyes. He smiled and spun her around, as he did almost every day, just to see her smile and laugh.

And he wasn't disappointed. He saw her face light up with joy and so did his.

"Come on!" Lily urged. "Everyone's waiting."

The trio walked (well, the adults did. Rose was still resting firmly in her fathers arms) out to the living room in their rather large cottage in Godrics Hollow.

Everyone was indeed waiting.

Doria Potter sat on the sofa with Albus Dumbledore, conversing about some Wizarding Law of some sort. Remus and Sirius were no where in site, but distinct crashed and slams could be heard from the kitchen. Lily's parents, John and Jasmine Evans, were lounging on the love seat, talking with the Parkinson's and the Longbottom's. McGonagall was just walking through the door, and Peter was sitting awkwardly on the arm chair.

Lily stopped dead in her tracks, staring at a site she was sure she wouldn't forget for a long time. Her sister, Petunia, was standing by the fireplace with her son Dudley in her arms.

"Tuney!" Lily cried. She ran towards her sister but came to a sudden halt at the site of her heated glare.

"I'm here only because Mum and Dad asked me to be. I am to wish your little brat a happy birthday, and then I can leave. Where is the little freak?" she asked harshly. Lily worked to keep tears from her eyes, but pointed mutely to her daughter still resting in James's arms.

Petunia walked over stiffly and took one look at her.

"You call that hunk of flesh a baby?" she scoffed. The entire room fell into a hush. Everyone was watching the sneering woman with a genuine feeling of dislike and unwelcoming. "That's just a rat with a mop on top. Do you expect her to grow into anything special? She will just be a freak like you. In fact-,"

"Get out."

"Pardon?" Petunia asked, affronted.

"Get. Out. Now, Petunia. I don't want you in my house."

Lily's voice was cold and cutting, a promise of what would come if Petunia didn't take a hint and split.

"Fine! I don't want to spend one more second in a house of FREAKS LIKE YOU!" she huffed. It took ten seconds for her reach the door, five to open it, glance back, and slam it, but it would take a lifetime for Lily to ever forgive her.

Lily grabbed Rose and cuddled her close to her chest. "Don't pay any attention to your terrible aunt, Rosie. None of those things are true. None."

Silence took over for a few more second before Cedrella broke the ice.

"So…that was Petunia, eh?" A few people chuckled uncomfortably before Jasmine rushed over to Lily.

"Oh, honey. You know she didn't mean it. She just hasn't forgiven you for being a witch when she couldn't be, you know that," she soothed. Seeing a fire start in her daughter's eyes she quickly corrected herself. "Not that it's your fault! No, it's absolutely wonderful that you got to have all this. It's just… you know she wanted it too."

"I know Mum, but why can't she just forget everything we've ever felt towards each other during the past ten years and just see Rose? It's her big day, but somehow Petunia had to go and make it about _us_. I just don't understand why she had to do that," Lily said sadly, shaking her head slowly.

"Well, as you said it's Rose's big day! Let's get on with the festivities, shall we?" Alice cheered, clapping her hands. Lily sent her a grateful smile, though it came out as more of a grimace.

Alice grabbed Neville from her husband and brought her over to Rose and Lily. "There!" she exclaimed. "Now Neville can teach her his days worth of knowledge on being one!" she chirped. Everyone laughed merrily and soon all thoughts of Petunia were forgotten.

************RLP************

"Ukle Siri!" a three and a half years old Rose cheered.

"Hey, Princess!" Sirius shouted, an absolutely brilliant grin lighting up his face. He picked up his favorite niece and spun her around, much like James does. She could never get enough of that.

Yup, they would make a flier and a Quidditch player out of her yet. Remus walked in seconds later, carrying a wrapped box.

"Hey, Padfoot, where's your gift for the little demon?" he asked good naturedly, sending a wink in his direction.

"Already under the tree, Moony," he answered, a mischievous glint in his eyes. James took that moment to walk in.

"Perfect. To the plan is in motion? You found the stuff ok, Moony?"

"Affirmative, Prongs."

Sirius's gaze snapped to the doorway that led to the kitchen. "Ah! Lilyflower!" he yelled nervously, glancing at James. His eyes widened considerably and uncertainly laughed.

"Hello dear! Um, how are you on this, um, cold day?" James was twitching now. If she knew what was going to happen, there was a good chance she would not approve.

"Hello James," she smirked, leaning on the doorway and crossing her arms. "May I ask what you are planning?"

"Um…no?" James replied wearily.

"James Potter, you WILL-,"

"OK TIME TO OPEN PRESENTS NOW!" Sirius shouted, slightly too conspicuously. Remus buried his face in his palms, wondering how Sirius could get any more obvious.

"YAY!" Rose cheered. She ran clumsily over to the tree and plopped herself down in front of the biggest looking box. She tore it open as the three adults took their seats around the fireplace, watching her in amusement. They heard a gasp of surprise and pleasure.

"A BEGINNERS POTION SET? TANK YOU MUMMY!" she ran over and hugged her mothers legs tightly before staring at the box a bit longer. It came with the basic ingredients and a small cauldron, a stirring rod, a few measuring cups of various sizes and test tubes to hold the finished product. She loved it.

"Here, Rose. Why don't you open this one now?" Sirius nudged a longer and thinner package towards her. She grabbed it eagerly and tore open the paper. This time two gasps were heard. One of delight and one of…possible anger.

Lily sent a glare over to her now least favorite best friend. "YOU GOT HER A-,"

"A BROOM! TANK YOU UKLE SIRI! CAN I RIDE IT SOON?" Rose asked. James chuckled at her anticipation and Remus merely shook his head. This could very well turn into a war zone.

"JAMES POTTER DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?"

"I sure did, sweetie," he grinned cheekily. "OK NEXT PRESENT!" he shoved his own into his daughter's arms.

Once more she eagerly ripped open the paper and another gasp of surprise echoed throughout the house.

"A LEARNERS SET OF QUIDDITCH BALLS? TANK YOU DADDY!" she ran over and hugged her father just as she had hugged her mother and her uncle.

"JAMES!" Lily roared.

"Now look, love. The quaffle is padded, and the bludgers are made of foam! And the snitch is twice its normal size! Not dangerous at all! AND they have restriction charms and speed control charms on the bludgers and snitch!" James reasoned.

Lily deliberated just long enough for Remus to give Rose his present.

"OH! THE GOALS POSTS! NOW WE CAN PLAY A REAL GAME OF QUIDDITCH! OH TANK YOU UKLE REM!" he was the last to receive a hug. Rose grabbed her four presents and opened the boxes in order to have all the components of all the presents lying on the floor.

"I gonna start a potion, and leave it to brew, and then Ukle Siri, Ukle Rem and Daddy can teach me to play Quidditch!" she decided.

"Wow Lils…she has your time management skills alright," Remus chuckled. James glare at his best friend at the blatant insult and Lily smirked.

"Oh yes, Remus. She knows exactly how to get things done."

********RLP**********

The inseparable trio of six year olds took their seats at the Parkinson's lunch table giggling madly. Their usual peanut butter and jelly sandwiches sat on their plates, smiling at them invitingly, but they ignored their food in favor of watching Pansy's mother, Cedrella, take her seat at the head of the table.

"So, kids, are you having fun today?" she chirped cheerily to the children. They nodded with a few more high pitched giggles.

"That's good! What crazy things have you been getting up to today?" she asked, unfolding her napkin and placing is smoothly on her lap.

"Just reading Uncle James's newest muggle book," Pansy explained calmly, hiding her true emotions quite effectively. Her pureblood parents may not mind muggles and muggle borns, but they were still adamant that they would raise a Slytherin.

"That's nice. Oh, Neville, your mother will be here in about one hour to pick you up for your Healers appointment," she told the small boy, picking up her spoon and started on her tomato soup.

The children watched with an extreme sense of anticipation as she took her first spoonful and put it to her mouth.

They waited until it was firmly in her mouth and silently counted down from three.

Bingo.

Right on time, Pansy's mother shot up from her seat, shrieking madly, waving her hand in front of her mouth. She swallowed as quickly as she could (Purebloods _never_ spit out their food) and took a few mighty gulps from her iced water.

And promptly starts choking. She couldn't help it. She did an absolutely wonderful spit-take.

"DID YOU PUT HOT SAUCE IN MY SOUP AND SALT IN MY WATER?" she shrieked.

The children jumped to their feet, hardly able to make it out of the door as their laughter tried to bring them down to the floor.

"Chapter One, How to Simply Yet Effectively Ruin a Meal," Rose sang. She had been taught this long before of course, but now it was in book, so that made is ok to do.

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE TOLD THA-,"

Rose, Pansy and Neville didn't bother to stay around to hear the rest. Instead they ran quickly up to Pansy's room and closed the door firmly behind them.

The next chapter had to be read and the next prank planned. Lily Evans wouldn't know what hit her. And neither would her clothes.

*******RLP********

"Rose Lily Potter, pay attention!" Lily demanded. "You'd think at eight years old you'd have a slightly higher attention span!"

"Sorry Mum!"

"Right where were we? Ah yes, I want you to right down the entire 8 times table, multiplying it by everything from one to 13. You have one minute. GO!"

With a flick of her wand, Lily created a floating timer, and watched as her daughter got to work, sticking her tongue slightly in concentration and her quill speeded down the page.

"DONE!" Rose announced with a proud grin. Lily smiled fondly and corrected it in a matter of seconds, setting it down in approval.

"Perfect, now I want you to take out your reading book, and we'll read chapter eight together. Along the way I want you to write down ten words that you don't understand and we'll go over them afterwards," Lily instructed.

Rose eagerly reached under the table and brought up The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Together, she and her mother started reading and Rose started taking notes.

After the chapter was read, and the words defined, they moved onto History, and Rose was listening intently to her mum with a small smile on her face, taking in every note and drawing and map that her mother had drawn on the conjured chalk board.

She would never admit it, but she loved being home schooled by her mum.

*********RLP*********

"MUM!" Rose called over her shoulder, "YOUR DAILY PROPHET'S HERE!"

"THANKS SWEETIE! I'LL BE DOWN IN A SECOND," Lily responded from her upstairs office. Lily had decided to work again, when Rose had turned ten, and the day had finally arrived, almost twelve month ago. Eleven and a half to be precise. Of course Rose was still being home schooled, but thankfully her mum's job didn't require her to go in every day, and when it did it wasn't for large amounts of time.

Rose had almost completely turned around when another owl caught her eye. She quickly ran to the window again and looked in confusion. Their land was quite extensive; there wasn't another wizarding house for a while. What else would they be receiving on a Wednesday?

The owl landed gracefully holding a thick envelope in its beak. Curiosity overtook caution and Rose quickly untied it, letting the bird fly away. Her eyes widened as she took in the address, written in thick emerald ink.

_Rose Lily Potter_

_Third bedroom on the left_

_The Lions Den_

_Godrics Hollow_

"M…M…MUM!" Rose shrieked in absolute excitement.

"WHAT IS IT ROSE?" her mum called out.

"I GOT MY HOGWARTS LETTER!"

Lily ran into the room, hair slightly charred, wand in hand, to find an ecstatic Rose jumping up and down.

Following Lily's footsteps, James sped into the room and swept his daughter into his arms.

"Congratulations, Baby Girl!" he cried.

Lily quickly took out her camera to record this once in a life time moment.

The Potter's could not be more proud of their daughter, and when they found out, Sirius and Remus could not be more excited.

It was time for the Marauders legacy to be continued.

********RLP**********

Two 11 year old girls were lying on a queen sized bed on the night of August 16, in the year of 1991. It was a very special night for these girls, as it was the last sleepover these girls would have in a long time.

And they were heavily mourning their loss.

"Hey, Pans?" Rose asked in the dark.

"Yeah, Rosie?" Pansy replied quietly.

"Do you think that us being sorted into different Houses would affect out friendship?" the raven haired girl asked in a small, vulnerable voice.

"Oh, Rose," Pansy crooned, wrapping the girl in an awkward hug. Well, awkward in the sense that they were lying down neither had really mastered the talent of such hugs. "Of COURSE not! I know I will probably be in Slytherin and you'll probably be in Gryffindor, but I can promise you that nothing with change!"

"But Pans! If there are two Houses in Hogwarts that aren't particularly fond of each other it's those two! I know they don't hate each other like they used to, but none of them will go out of their way to help each other either," Rose protested, hoisting herself up onto her elbows.

"Rose, I promise. Just because the rest of the House doesn't do it does not mean we can't! I would make an unbreakable vow right now. We will never be torn apart. In fact, maybe the rest of our Houses will follow our example and learn to actually like each other. Think of it this way. Our mums did just fine, didn't they?" Pansy said softly.

This thought alone seemed to make Rose relax. A lazy smile overtook her features and Pansy let go of the other girl, sensing her comfort.

A few more minutes of silence ensued.

"Hey, Rose?" Pansy said.

"Yeah Pans?"

"What if no one besides you and Neville likes me?"

"And what's wrong with Neville and me?" Rose teased.

"NOTHING!" Pansy quickly assured. "Nothing, it's just as you said, we'll be in different Houses, and I will try and see you as much as I can, but we won't always have the same classes, and I have to live with people I don't know and it's just making me nervous, is all."

"Well, Pansy, if they can't see the beautiful, strong willed, smart, funny and amazing girl I see, then they aren't worth worrying about anyway," Rose announced firmly.

"Beautiful? Rose, I have a pug nose, and my hair is a mousy brown. Nothing about me exactly screams beauty queen. Not like you," Pansy stated sadly.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Pans. And it's not all about what's on your face. And I quite happen to like your face. And I assure you that I am no beauty queen."

Pansy snorted. "Please, Rose. Your hair is curly and long and the deepest black I have ever seen. Your eyes are greener than a freaking leaf, and your lips practically scream 'HEY BOYS. I KNOW YOU WANT SOME OF THIS.' Just you wait; Neville and I will have to beat the boys off you with a baseball bat!" she promised.

"Well Pans, we'll just have to wait and see whose right," Rose replied, rolling her eyes. Pansy could be absolutely ridiculous when she wanted to be.

Both girls rolled over and closed their eyes. Tomorrow would be a long day and they had to be as alert as possible. They had almost gotten lost in Diagon Alley once and they did not fancy doing it again.

"Hey Rose?" Pansy poked the other girl from her half-asleep state.

"Yes, Pansy?" she groaned, burying her face in the pillow.

"My mother heard the Malfoy boy will be going to Hogwarts with us. What do you think he'll be like?" the pug nosed girl questioned.

Rose snorted into her pillow. "Please, Pans. He'll be a spoiled little rich kid who gets everything wants. I can't imagine him being a particularly pleasant chap."

"What makes you think that?" Pansy asked, affronted. She was rather looking forward to meeting this boy. "We're rich, and we aren't terribly spoiled!"

"Yes, but our parents like to remind us about the real world. Besides have you heard about the Malfoy's reputation?" Rose asked. Pansy shrugged her shoulders. She'd give her friend that. The Malfoy's were notorious for spoiling their child.

It wasn't that they were unpleasant people. Except maybe their son. That was to be discovered.

Pansy was deep in thought. The Malfoy's were said to be a dark family, or at least they used to be. And so did the Parkinson's. Actually, so did a lot of Slytherin families. But somehow that all seemed to change with their parents' generation.

Pansy was softly lulled to sleep by a single question that she couldn't seem to figure out: what happened that year that made such a huge impact on the Slytherin Pureblooded families?

She'd have to ask her mum one day.

********RLP********

The sun was actually shining the next morning, and two young witched and one young wizard were walking out of Gringotts. The adults had made a day of it and invited Sirius and Remus to go along. With three quarters of the Marauders there, it was sure to be a fun day. Unfortunately Peter had decided to move abroad and research plants.

"Where too first?" Alice Longbottom chirped.

"Robes?" Lily suggested. The adults nodded in agreement.

"Come on children, to Madame Malkins!"

"Forward MARCH!" Sirius commanded. The kids playfully turned in the right direction and simultaneously started marching in that direction. The adults laughed and followed.

Upon entering the store, the children saw one woman bustling about with a wand in her hand, looking really rather frazzled.

"Three more for Hogwarts?" she questioned in a warm voice. "Right, stand over there please. I'm just finishing up one batch of robes in the back and I shall be right out!"

She hurried away and Neville, Pansy and Rose all took seats on spindly chairs by the window.

Less than two minutes later, the same woman—presumably Madame Malkin—and her shop assistant came out from behind a curtain.

"Honestly, I don't understand why they had to make the robes so plain. I could have had such fun with them," the plump Malkin was prattling on to her assistant. The younger witch was merely nodding along, apparently having heard this all before.

"Well! Come now children, let's get you all measured!"

Many measurements later, Madam Malkin beamed. "I think I may have one set of robes that will fit you just perfectly my dear!" she beamed at Pansy. Pansy looked rather pleased and waited as they were retrieved. Once they were paid for she sat in the same chair she had previously occupied and waited for her friends to be finished.

Neville's robes merely required a few inched off the hem from the original set. Rose, however, had to have a bit more work done. Her closest fit was slightly too short, but the sleeves were slightly too long.

Once the robes were acquired, the group made its way to the wizarding equipment store to pick up their cauldrons, their telescopes and their scales. It was all a fairly standard shopping trip right through the trip to the Apothecary. It really took off in Flourish and Blotts.

"We're going to learn_ ALL THIS?" _Pansy raged. "Imagine all the homework this is going to come with! This is child labor!"

Neville rolled his eyes and picked up all his school books as soon as possible. He paused when he saw the name of the Transfiguration text book.

"Uncle James! It's you!" he exclaimed, holding up his brand new copy of _Transfiguration for Ickle Firsties. _.

"Why, yes it is Neville," he responded, winking.

"DAD!" Rose squealed. "You didn't tell me you wrote the text books for school!"

"And why would you want a piece of boring information like that?" James demanded with a mischievous light in his eye.

"Um, because now your _FAMOUS!" _ Rose explained.

"Oh!" James chuckled. "Now you love your old man just because he might be famous! Well, let me tell you something, young missy, you may not appreciate this as much when you're being assigned homework from something I wrote!"

"Oh…ew. Merlin, Dad, why would you do that?" Rose asked, wrinkling her nose. James let out a big appreciative laugh.

"Uncle James, did you write the textbooks for _all seven years?" _Pansy asked, growing more impressed by the second.

"Sure did, rascal," James announced proudly, a broad smile growing on his face.

"But that must mean you're really good!"

"I better be, I went to a Transfiguration Masters school right out of Hogwarts," James rolled his eyes. Seriously, they should have better things to talk about than their text-books and their authors.

"Well, we're impressed, no need to get huffy!" Pansy scolded. She grabbed the last of her books, gave them to her parents, her friends following suit, and they quickly escaped to the more entertaining section of the shop.

The adults were still laughing quietly to themselves when they heard an exasperated shout.

"Merlin, Rose. Your Dad is just EVERYWHERE!"

The group of older friends really started laughing then. They were even inclined to go check up on them, but decided against it. They went to go pay for the school books and let the kids do with their pocket money as they pleased.

What a mistake.

About thirty minutes later the children immerged from the shop and ran into their parents who were waiting outside in the sunlight.

"What'd you rascals get?" Remus asked.

"Not much," Rose replied innocently.

"Yeah, just Uncle James's books on pranks. All four of them," Neville added with a large grin.

"You all got a copy of them?" Lily asked incredulously.

"Of course not!" Pansy scoffed. "I got them, and Rose and Neville split the cost, seeing as they will probably be in the same House. I just hope they don't follow through with any of the pranks they plan and/or read up on without me!" Pansy gave a warning glare to the two potential Gryffindor's and they gave her a reassuring smile.

"Aw, don't worry Pans! We wouldn't dare without your express permission," Neville assured her.

"Yeah, what would a prank be without you?" Rose asked. Pansy smiled, fully comforted.

"Well, children, onto Ollivanders!" Frank ordered. Said children cheered. This is what they were really looking forward too!

The shops bell rung as they opened the door and an old man softly greeted them. The shop itself was quite old as well and had a certain musty scent to it. It was mysterious, yet somehow comforting. It was as if they were in an ancient, abandoned library. None dared to speak, but they were so fascinated by their surroundings that they had nothing to say either.

"So, your first wands." The children jumped at the sudden appearance of an old, soft-spoken man. "Let's see, you first Ms. Parkinson. Step right up here, that's it! Now let me measure your wand arm. Very good…here try this one."

Ollivander held out a wand. Pansy waved it and it was quickly snatched away.

"Alright then, not that one. Ah! This one should do it! Rosewood, 14 and a half inches, tail hair of a Unicorn! Beautiful wand for Charms and Divination!"

Pansy gripped the wand firmly and smiled brightly. A perfect match.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Now you, Mr. Longbottom! Try this one! Oak, 13 and a quarter inches, dragon heartstring. Wonderful wand for Herbology!"

Neville was quite fond of the wand before taking it but felt confidence and power flow through him upon gripping it.

"Perfect!" he crooned. Ollivander chuckled at his reaction, but nodded nonetheless.

"Now, Ms. Potter. I have a feeling you'll be quite tricky. Let's get started!"

Wand after wand was handed to her, but none matched. They all either tingled uncomfortably for were taken away before she had it in her hand for even a second.

"I wonder…yes it is certainly a very _odd_ combination, but it certainly is a very powerful wand. Yes, try this one!" Ollivander handed another wand to Rose, and she took it willingly. It was perfect. It was wonderful it was-

"Holly, eleven inches with a Phoenix feather. Yes, very powerful indeed. Good for defensive and offensive magic. Wonderful! You all have your wands! I can imagine great things from all of you, I am sure. Especially with those wands. Yes, be on your way now! Your parents will pay, but you may take your wands. Shoo, shoo!"

The children obeyed and left the shop, too thrilled with their wands to say a single word. The wand felt like their best friend in their hand. Yes, they would definitely do _very _great things with these wands. Together.

**I won't update again until I get over 5 reviews ^^ low expectations people, at least give me that :P **


	3. The Sorting Hats Song

**Um…ok…5 reviews came much faster than I thought they would lol. In fact I got 8. GOOD JOB GUYS! KEEP IT UP ;) hehe**

"Rose Lily Potter, we're going to be LATE!" Lily shouted. She stood in the doorway to their home tapping her foot impatiently while her daughter was still throwing things in her trunk. "Honestly, I could've sworn we did this all last night, together!"

"HA no," Rose replied. "We packed all of my school things. But we neglected somehow my everyday wear, my prank books which were CONVENIENTLY HIDDEN IN THE CUBOARD and Hedwig!" Rose ranted.

"Fine, fine, fine, just hurry up. It's twenty to eleven! You're going to miss the train!"

"You know," Rose started, heaving and pulling and yanking her trunk down the stairs, "this would go a whole lot faster if you just levitated it out to the car."

"Oh, yes of course," Lily replied, snapping out of her trance like state.

With the trunk in the car and James in the driver's side, Lily went back to staring out the window in the passenger's seat.

"Mum, are you ok?" Rose asked tentatively from the back seat.

"What?" Lily snapped up. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, love, you've been spacing out constantly. What are you thinking?" James inquired softly, placing once hand on hers.

"Nothing. It's nothing," Lily insisted.

"Lily, with you, it's never nothing," James laughed.

Lily rolled her eyes but cracked a smile nevertheless.

"So what's wrong, Mum?"

"Well, you're going off to Hogwarts, which means we only have you for another seven years until you go off and be your own person, maybe get married, maybe have children, get a job and move out! And for three quarters of each year you won't even be home!" Lily cried. Small tears were forming in her eyes just as they pulled into Kingscross.

They all rushed out of the car and Rose enveloped her mother in a gargantuan hug.

"Mum, it doesn't matter! Even when I move out, I'll still be sure to come back every week! EVERYDAY IF YOU WANT! And as for school, I'll be sure to owl you every week, and let you know everything that's going on. I'll tell you all about the new people I meet, the new friends I'll make and of course I'll send you a picture of Gryffindor Common room just so you can see how much it's changed. It'll be just like I'm home, I promise!" Rose cooed, her arms still wrapped around her sobbing mother.

James too had tears in his eyes, but managed to control himself where his wife did not. Still, he felt the need to pull his daughter away from her mother and wrap his own, much more muscular arms around her, squeezing her half to death. But this one time, Rose didn't mind.

**********RLP***********

On the platform Rose met up with Neville and Pansy, all opting to get a compartment at the back of the train. Their parents kept them for a few more sorrowful goodbyes, but the students were quite happy to get their trunks on the train and their butts in the seat.

"So, what do you think it'll be like?" Pansy asked her friends, and excited bounce taking over her whole form.

"I don't know! I hear the dorms are really nice. I can't wait to see the Tower!" Neville commented and Rose nodded in agreement.

"I can't wait to see the Dungeons! I hear that it's right under the Lake, and that it's all stone. Apparently there are still some shackles on the wall," Pansy told her friends, a devilish smile on her face. The other two gulped quite audibly and shared a quick glance. Oh dear. It wasn't good when Pansy got like this. It meant someone was going to regret not being dead.

"Oh calm down you too, I'm not going to _use them_," she clarified. The two potential Gryffindor's relaxed into their seats after that.

About two second after the train took off, a red haired boy entered their compartment with an apologetic smile.

"Mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

"Not at all!" Rose chirped. She scooted over quickly, making room for the newcomer.

"My name's Ron. Ron Weasley, and I want to be in Gryffindor!" he announced proudly.

Rose giggled and held out her hand. "Well, Ron, my name is Rose Potter, and I want to be in Gryffindor as well!"

"Me too! My name's Neville Longbottom by the way." Ron quickly shook his hand as well.

"And I'm Pansy Parkinson. And hopefully, I'm as Slytherin as they get," she told him quickly.

Ron gave her a wary glance, silently asking the other two if she was ok. He was taught to never judge people before he got to know them, and he knew the Slytherin prejudices weren't what they used to be, but still. With a nod from the other two, he took her hand and shook it.

"If you don't mind me asking, how do you three know each other? Usually two wannabe Gryffindor's wouldn't be with a wannabe Slytherin. No offence of course! There's nothing wrong with it, it just doesn't usually happen, is all."

"Well, Ron," Pansy started cheerfully. If he was going to be friends with her family, she would try to be his friend too. For their sake at least. "Our parents were best friends in school, and we were all born at roughly the same time. We grew up together, literally. Apparently Neville was even there the day Rose was born. I was at home with my father, but I met her the next day. We've gotten along like siblings ever since!"

"Ah yes. Siblings without the hassle of living with each other. Lucky. Very lucky," he agreed sagely.

"So you have siblings?" Rose asked.

"Yup. I've got six. Five older brothers and one younger sister. In fact, three of those brothers are in school now. My brother Percy's a fifth year Prefect, and my brothers Fred and George are in their fourth year. Wait, did you say Rose _Potter?" _Ron asked, quickly turning in her direction.

"Um…yes?" Did she do something?

"Your dad wrote the Transfiguration text books! Merlin, those things are hilarious! My mother made me read through the first chapter of mine, and he actually made it…fun! I don't know how, but he did it. How on earth did he get McGonagall to use them for her class? I've heard she's as strict as they come!"

"Well, she asked him to do them, gave him the curriculum, and he wrote them. His way. And she couldn't refuse, because he followed her requirements," Rose giggled. She had read the book too. It really was quite amusing.

"And your mum works at the Ministry, right? In the research department for the Unforgivables?" he asked.

Rose nodded, slightly hesitantly. How did he know so much about her parents?

"My dad works in the Ministry. They've run into each other from time to time. Apparently he was Head Boy when your mum and dad were starting Hogwarts," Ron explained.

"No kidding. Huh. So you're Arthur Weasley's son?"

Ron nodded eagerly. "That's me!"

Rose was becoming quite excited. Now she had three friends in Hogwarts! And she had only been on the train for five minutes!

"Well Ron, how do you feel about pranks?" she asked sending a sly smile to her other two friends. They snickered.

"Well, my brothers Fred and George are huge pranksters. McGonagall once sent a note home saying they were the worst the school has seen, after the Marauders, whoever they are. They must have done some pretty spectacular stuff to beat Fred and George. In fact, I think they have two of their books that they treat sort of like their bible!"

"Well, Ron, your brothers are about to be taught a thing or two," Pansy smirked.

Ron gave a harsh smile. "I don't think so. They really are brilliant."

"Yes well we're better," Pansy stated. And that, as they say, was that. Ron sat back giving her a skeptical look, but went along with it.

"I propose we get on all the teachers good side before we do anything," Neville suggested. He looked rather nervous for someone who had been doing this their whole life and Rose and Pansy knew why.

Neville had always been the shyer one. In all honestly, Pansy was the only one that shown in a strangers company. Rose had a tendency to be a tad awkward, and Neville had a tendency to be a tad quiet. He really was quite afraid of judgment.

But above all he feared punishment. The only pranks the trio had ever pulled were on their parents, and frankly, they expected it.

"I guess that would be a good idea," Pansy complied. For the sake of her friend she would indulge him in this little comfort. Besides, it really was the best way to get in the smallest amount of trouble. And of course that meant more free time.

For the rest of the train ride, they didn't talk about pranks and different plans as they had anticipated. Instead they talked of tactics, which teachers would have to be worked on, which ones were easy to please, and which should really just be avoided at all cost.

********RLP**********

The train pulled into the platform at Hogsmede station, and the entire student body emerged.

"Firs' years! Firs' years, follow me!"

Rose whipped around and saw a man. A man about the size of a truck, anyway.

"Hagrid!" she exclaimed.

"Well, 'ello Rosie. 'Ow are yeh? Yer mum and dad doing ok?" he inquired.

"Right as rain," Rose beamed. She had only met Hagrid a few times, but they got along famously whenever he stopped by for a visit.

"Good, good. Now we must be going. Firs' years! Follow me!"

He led the crowd of the accumulated eleven year olds to a long line of boats. The entire group shared a mutual look of uneasiness.

"Uh…Hagrid. Why boats?" Ron asked, giving him quite the disgusted look.

"Why not? Trust me, yeh won't feel this way once yeh see the firs' few of the castle! It's more magnificent from the lake than from the carriages. An' that is saying somethin'," Hagrid assured her. She nodded, a small grimace still attached to her face.

But he was right. Oh Merlin, he was right. As soon as they all ducked under the tree branches, the water gilded smoothly towards the castle.

And what a beautiful castle. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of lights were shimmering out from every window, lighting it up with the most magical glow. In fact that's just what it was. It was magic.

The turrets and towers all hovered ominously over the grounds, and the awe the first years felt was contagious. Every second something exploded inside them, a realization that these would be the best years of their life.

*******RLP******

The wait for the sorting was excruciating. And McGonagall's speech didn't make it any better. Everyone was talking anxiously about what it would be.

"I hear you have to wrestle troll," Ron told Rose, turning absolutely green. Rose, Pansy and Neville rolled their eyes.

"And who told you that?" Pansy demanded.

"My brother, George," Ron stated nervously.

"Well that is a load of tosh," Rose assured him. "All you have to do is-,"

"First Years, follow me please," a stern voice commanded from the doorway. Ron was especially anxious now, as Rose never got to finish her sentence. Would it be worse than wresting a troll? Easier? Harder? _Lethal?_

"When I call your name, step up and try on the hat please, and let it sort you into your House," McGonagall told the bunch.

Honestly though, not many people heard. The Great Hall had their full attention, with the different tables, the sheer size, and honestly, that ceiling was rather amazing.

"It's not really open. It's charmed to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History," a young girl commented. She looked rather…frazzled. No one was sure if that was because she was nervous or because her hair was just naturally….uncooperative.

A hat was placed on a small wooden stool, and to a few peoples surprise, it started to sing.

_I'd like to tell you in advance_

_Because I may know how your seven years go_

_Houses under pressure to be the best_

_But I know how the winds will blow_

_A few may give example_

_But it means nothing if others don't follow or bless_

_Take heed; all the houses are very different_

_But the founders meant the students to love nevertheless_

_Some may belong to the home of the brave_

_Where loyalty is the basis of love_

_If this is you then in Gryffindor_

_You will fit like a glove_

_Ambition and success may be what you want_

_And if power is to you a wonderful taste_

_I know who you are and Slytherin_

_Will befriend you with haste_

_Where kindness and fair play is important_

_And there's nothing hard work can't handle_

_Then there will be a reason I put you in Hufflepuff_

_You will glow like a candle_

_There's a place where wit is good_

_And intellect is important to get along_

_To a Ravenclaw a mind is a place explored_

_And as long as you can think, your friendship will be long_

_But there is something in common_

_That I tell you I can place_

_A love for each other_

_And a friendly face_

_Acceptance is wanted_

_Approval is what they crave_

_So just maybe I was inaccurate in the first_

_Summary that I gave_

_The Houses that are separated _

_By a color and a name_

_Are really not so different_

_In fact they're really quite the same_

Applause was abundant, but short and McGonagall started calling people up.

The names slowly passed by. Some went to Gryffindor, some to Hufflepuff, some to Ravenclaw and some to Slytherin.

"Neville Longbottom." Rose and Pansy both gave their friend a supportive smile and he tentatively stepped up.

The hat at first did startle him, but he listened nonetheless.

_You really are underestimated. You would get yourself killed to save a friend, even a stranger maybe. Interesting. Like mother like son. I know exactly where to put you._

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Rose sighed in relief as the boy flounced over to the cheering table.

And Pansy was up.

"Pansy Parkinson."

Rose hugged her quickly for luck and she rushed up.

She placed the hat on her head and calmly listened to his words.

_Ah. I see. You do have courage. And I see your friends are very dear to you indeed. You'd do anything to protect them. But I have to say you have quite the thirst. A thirst to prove you're better than everyone else. That you can go far where others cannot and for that it must be-_

"SLYTHERIN!" the Hat cried. The table burst into applause.

Neville and Rose were slightly disappointed, but weren't really very bothered by it. They knew this was coming, and they were plenty prepared for the year.

"Ronald Weasley," was called up and Rose watched in interest. She had a good feeling about this boy. He could fit in QUITE easily with her little group of friends. In fact, he could be quite an asset. And on the plus side he sounded like a wonderful friend.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

It took all of 10 seconds to place him, and he beamed at the red and gold table. She saw a few people who looked quite similar to him waving and cheering. Rose smiled. Those must be his brothers.

"Rose Potter!" I gave a shaky sigh and stepped up.

_Ah I was wondering when I would sort you. Your parents were interesting to place. Both so eager for acceptance, yet not very eager at all. Wanting to blend it yet wanting to stand out. I can see you are exactly the same. Except…hm…I suppose I could see you in Slytherin…you have a need to prove yourself, and it's quite strong…yet…no. I stand by my instinct and I am sure you will do well where I place you. You could do well anywhere, but I think you will particularly shine in-_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Rose beamed just like Ron had and rushed to join Neville and Ron. She made sure to sit facing the Slytherin table. Pansy was there, with a big grin and a thumbs up. And Rose knew she always would be.

**I am going to raise the bar a little here. I want 10 reviews before I update! *gasp***

**Yes, I know. 10. two whole reviews more than I got last time! But I believe in you guys ;)**


	4. Him

**K, so I only got 8 reviews. Rather disappointing. but I shall post this anyway and settle. This time I want at least 8 more though. Hell, I might even throw in a couple thousand extra words to the next chapter if u guys give me anywhere between 10-15!**

**Again, not mine. J.K Rowlings with a twist. **

The first years were led to the common rooms by the Prefects. The Gryffindor Prefect happened to be Percy Weasley, Ron's older brother. He led them through moving staircases and tapestries, through stone passageways and hidden corridors. Finally they made it to the seventh floor corridor and approached the portrait of the Fat Lady, and Percy announced the Password.

"Caput Draconis."

The portrait swung forward and a round hole was revealed. The children climbed through it rather haphazardly, ending in a rather red room.

The first years gasped with pleasure. It was wonderful! Not the most elegant thing ever, but it was so incredibly homey. Red squishy arm chair clusters were littered just EVERYWHERE and a blazing fire warmed to room and lit it with a relaxing glow. Tables supplied with other comfortable chairs were lining the wall, a prefect place to study. There was a little lounge area in front of the fire, including a rather gigantic cough and 4 very comfortable looking armchairs. A low table stood in the middle of the lounge.

Rose grinned. So this was the root of all the marauders shenanigans, eh? Well, she could definitely put this space to use as well.

She followed the girls to the dorm as she had zoned out while Percy was talking, and they all chose their beds.

"Can I have the one next to the window?" Rose asked tentatively. She didn't know any of these girls. She longed for Pansy, but she was probably in the same situation down in the dungeons.

"Sure!" the other girls chirped. There were in fact 3 beds by a window, so Rose, the girl who knew about the ceiling in the Great Hall whose name was Hermione and another named Lavender all had the spectacular view from their beds. Consequently, Rose was in-between Hermione and Lavender, as the windows were pretty much in a row.

"Ok, I say we have a little game of Truth or Dare to learn about each other!" Lavender suggested.

"Excuse me, but what will Truth or Dare teach us?" Hermione asked.

"Well, the truths will teach us about each other, and we can keep them mellow for now, things like favorite color, family, classes, activities, and the like, and the dares will let us learn each others boundaries! And of course just have fun!" Lavender giggled. Hermione didn't look fully convinced, but Parvati was absolutely giggling at the idea. Rose, honestly, was kind of reluctant but went along.

"So Hermione!" Parvati started. Hermione visibly winced but the two exicted girls payed no mind. Rose, on the other hand felt rather bad for her. "What classes are you looking forward to most?"

Innocent enough. Rose saw Hermione visibly relax, and she even smiled a bit.

"All of them! Absolutely all of them! I don't know how to choose!" she gushed. Lavender and Parvati looked at her like she was absolutely insane but shrugged it off. It was no Hermione's turn and she turned to face Rose.

Rose braced herself for what was coming.

"What about you Rose? Truth or Dare?"

"Truth," was the hasty reply.

"Ok, what classes are YOU looking forward too?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"Is Quidditch a class?" Rose asked as a joke. Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Fine, then Potions and Transfiguration." Hermione nodded.

"I can't wait until transfiguration either! It's our first class tomorrow too! Oh I am so excited!" Hermione clapped. Rose rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway. Hermione seemed really nice. Bookish and had a bossy tone sometimes, but a sweetheart nevertheless.

"Lavender!" Rose exclaimed. Said girl screeched and started bouncing.

"TRUTH!"

"Alrigthy then. Um. Have you ever kissed a boy on the lips?"

Lavender giggled and nodded.

"His name was Eric. He was a really cute muggle boy in my town. Unfortunately it was never meant to be," she sighed dramatically. "He moved to America this summer."

Parvati sighed longingly. "What a romance!"

Hermione and Rose exchanged glances, both with an eyebrow quirked. Oh yes. They would get along just fine.

********RLP********

About half an hour into the game, they started taking out some candy they all had left over from the train. Chocolate frogs were hopping before being eaten, Every Flavored Beans were being tasted on dares and Blowing Gum was being chewed in excessive amounts. Yes, the sugar level was quite high.

"Hey, Rose!" Lavender giggled. Rose looked up from her licorice wand that she was steadily inhaling. "I dare you to sneak into the boys dormitory!"

"NO WAY! She could get into serious trouble for that! And classes haven't even started!" Hermione protested.

"Nobody will find out!" Parvati insisted. Rose just smirked. She lived for this kind of thing.

"Anybody got cheese spray?"

*******RLP*****

The surprising thing was, Lavender actually did. No questions were asked. Everyone thought it was just better that way.

They watched from below, as she snuck into the boys dorm with the can. She was starting to wonder how she would get up. They had wards she knew. The stairs turned into a slide or something like that. She spotted a little bar at the top of the staircase, probably to do chin-ups or something. She would have to find out which boy was the exercise freak. And thank them of course.

She grinned evilly, ran back up to her own dorm, and grabbed a rope from the kit Sirius had sent with her. She levitated it until it looped around the bar and the two ends were back with her. She tied them together and handed it to the three gaping girls.

"Ok, put this rope around all three of your wastes, and make sure it's always at least three feet off the ground," she instructed. The girls nodded dumbly.

Satisfied, Rose straddled the rope and was pleased her feet didn't touch the ground. Gripping tightly she swung around so that she was upside down and could pull her self up the rope without fall off.

Slowly she inched her way up, the can of cheese clutched in her mouth. After a few scares of almost falling, she made it to the top. She sprayed each pair of shoes on the inside, not with too much, just a little dollop, but enough to get thoroughly annoying after a while.

Each set of drapes had cheese lining the edges, so that when they pulled them back cheese would cover their hands.

And last, but not least, she left a special treat for Neville. She sprayed 'With Love, from Rose' right on the window.

And she prayed no teacher walked in the next morning. She wasn't worried about the boys telling. Neville would explain things. And who knows, maybe they would find it amusing.

She stepped on the staircase, not exactly anticipating what would happen next. They turned into a slide, and she slid down clumsily. She knew of course what happened if one tried to go up. She hadn't really expected the same thing going DOWN.

With a groan Rose stood back up, rubbing her back.

"Not even a cushioning charm? How cruel," she grumbled as she huffed back up to her own dorm. The girls followed, snickering.

Well, Hermione was sort of grumbling to herself about an impressive display of magic, but so many broken rules. Rose caught some of it and gave a small chuckle.

"Come on, Hermione! Loosen up. This is supposed to be fun. That what Hogwarts is really all about!"

"But the rules! We just broke about four. No girls in the boys dorms, no being out of bed after curfew, no vandalizing school property and no vandalizing someone else's property! It's terrible!" she shrieked.

"Aw, Hermione. It's not so bad because we won't get caught. And if we do, I take the blame. I did it. I'll just say you were asleep. No harm done." Rose gave Hermione a cheeky grin and hopped back in bed.

"Let's get some shut-eye. We need it for tomorrow. First day of classes you know!" Lavender announced. The girls mumbled a half formed agreement and followed Rose's exampled of getting back into their beds.

Rose heard the soft breathing from either side of her bed. She herself couldn't seem to make the journey to the land of dreams as her mind kept wandering back to her new roommates. Lavender and Parvati seemed nice enough, but Rose was never the girly type. They seemed a bit much. Hermione seemed quite nice herself, but she was such a stiff rule follower. A real friendship would never work. But who knows Unlikelier things have happened, after all, in a world full of magic.

******RLP******

The day started with double Transfiguration. Originally this had pleased Rose, considering it was bound to be one of her favorite subjects. The text-books were funny, she could floo her dad for help and honestly, it was fun.

The best part was she had this class with the Slytherins. So Rose pranced into the classroom before breakfast was even over, startling Professor McGonagall.

"Hello, Ms. Potter. Is something the matter?" she asked, concern coloring her tone.

"Not at all, Professor, but thank you," Rose smiled kindly.

Silence stretched out with Rose gaily swinging her legs.

"Was there something you needed, Ms. Potter?" McGonagall tried again. She could simply not figure out why a student was early to her class.

"Nope!" Rose replied, popping the p. She was the picture of childlike innocence.

"Then with all due respect, what are you doing here?"

"I just like this class. Don't want to be late!" Rose grinned.

"How do you know you like it yet, class hasn't even started yet," McGonagall was set on figuring out an ulterior motive. Students always had one.

"My father taught me some before school started. And I read the text book. Apparently I'm quite good at it!"

Rose couldn't help but beam at her Head of House. McGonagall kept her eyes locked on the girls face, searching for some sign of lies.

"Very well, if that is all you may stay." With that she turned back to her papers and started grading the summer papers her NEWT students had dropped off the prior evening.

Rose was starting to get impatient. She had somehow hoped that Pansy would get there early too. But apparently she was wro-

"Rosie!" Pansy sang. She walked over to the desk that the young Gryffindor was sitting at and took her seat next her.

"Pans!" Rose cried in joy. She flung her arms around her best friend and the favor was returned. "Oh how I MISSED you! And to think you were merely nine floors below me. It was torture I tell you!"

Rose dramatically clutched her heart. Pansy laughed but played along.

"Ah, no my sweet Rose. It was I who was tortured beyond belief! Only nine flights of stairs, and I could have been in your precious company once more! Alas, it was not meant to be!" Pansy could hardly keep her straight face and soon the two girls were laughing like they had on the train. McGonagall had watched the whole exchange with a stern glance, but if you looked close enough, you could just make out a smile.

So this was what the hat had meant. _A few may give example. _

The smile broadened almost imperceptibly when Neville and Ron strolled into the room. Neville looked like he was about to say something, but saw the warning glance shot towards the teacher and decided on something else.

"Pansy! I was wondering if you had decided to ditch us in favor of your Slytherin buddies!" he yelled as he crossed the room, a broad grin on his face.

"Neville, if I ever do that you have my express permission to hit me with a fish," Pansy told him sincerely.

"Quick, get her to ditch us!" Ron whispered to Rose. She smiled and slapped him playfully and Pansy rolled her eyes.

"So Ron. Got cheese?" Rose asked.

"Why would he have cheese? Ron, why would you have cheese?" Pansy asked. She felt very out of the loop. She glared at Rose. "You and Neville didn't."

"Nope! Only I did. Couldn't resist. It was so easy, and I got him pretty good too!" Rose giggled. "I'll explain later." Pansy nodded. If Rose did it alone it was ok. Then it was a single effort. Not a group effort.

Pansy was ALWAYS part of the group effort.

Always.

….Always.

"Yes, anyway," Neville said, his ears bright red, "how was your first night Pans? The snakes give you a hard time?"

"Not at all," she smiled. "They were quite pleasant except for that little turd, Draco Mal-,"

"What is the school playing at? Transfiguration for Ickle Firsties? Was that someone's idea of a joke? What an insult! I bet I already know all of this. With a name like that, who could possibly take this book seriously?"

"Draco Malfoy," Pansy finished, with a dramatic roll of the eye. Rose stood in anger, with Pansy and Neville right behind her.

"Excuse me. What did you say?" she asked sweetly.

"Who are you? I'm not going to repeat myself to an inferior," the blonde boy sneered.

"Well, I'm Rose Potter. The daughter of the man who wrote the 'insult'."

"Should have known. Gryffindor. No one else is stupid enough to think this is funny. Or worse, helpful. Parkinson, what are you doing hanging out with Gryffindorks like this?" the sneer was still present in Draco's annoying voice, and Rose was getting sick of it.

"Please," she snorted. "I'd choose them over the likes of you any day."

"That was a mistake Parkinson!" Draco raged as he jumped out of his chair.

"No…I don't think it was," she replied indifferently.

"Malfoy, you better watch it. Don't mess with my girls," Neville warned.

"And who are you? Their stupid bodyguard? Or maybe their boyfriend? One wasn't good enough so you needed both?" Draco laughed.

"No, in fact they are my best friends, and I am Neville Longbottom. The guy who will be kicking your ass if you ever hurt one of them," he threatened.

"Ooh, scary," Draco smirked. "What a ridiculous excuse for wizards. Hogwarts is really going to the dogs."

"No, but you are!" Rose exclaimed. She whipped out her wand but before she could say anything, McGonagall interfered.

"And _what _is going on here?" she asked in a pinched tone.

"Malfoy here decided the books my father wrote weren't good enough for his small brain, so I decided to inform him differently," Rose calmly answered, tucking her wand away in her robe. The professor looked towards Malfoy who was now in his seat, sneering in the opposite direction.

"Mr. Malfoy, I assure you these books are of the highest quality with only the best information. If you prefer a different book, I'm sure I have one, but the information is not quite as accurate, and the explanations not quite as clever, concise or nearly as entertaining. Now if you please take you seats, class is about to begin."

She marched to her desk, and the children took that as their que to sit down. They hadn't even noticed the rest of the class filing in, but almost every seat was indeed taken, and Neville went back to his desk with Ron while Rose and Pansy stayed in their original seats.

Not the best start to the day, Rose decided, but now it can be redeemed. Class was starting and Rose enthusiastically pulled out her wand, a quill and some parchment.

Let the fun begin.

**********RLP************

The first class was incredibly easy, Rose had to say, as it was only turning match sticks into needles. Rose had it down in a heart beat and honestly sat around bored.

Much to her pleasure, though, Draco was struggling.

"Well, Malfoy. You can't seem to get it, can you? Oh what a pity. Why don't you read the chapter in the book," Rose suggested with a smug smirk leaning back in her seat.

"Because it would be waste of my time. That book is preposterous, and I refuse to believe for even a second it could help!" Draco's face was turning red, and the smug smile Rose wore turned to one of amusement.

"Malfoy, read it."

"No."

"READ IT!"

"NO!"

"Fine. But try this. Focus your mind on the needle, and your site only on the match stick. Look at the match stick, but see the needle. Focus, take a few deep breaths and have that engrained in your mind. Point your wand, and say the spell with feeling. Want to make it happen. This is about will power, and sheer magic," Rose explained.

Draco sneered. "I have more magic than you in my little finger."

"Then this shouldn't be a problem. Remember what it old you, swallow your damn pride, and try it," Rose commanded calmly.

Draco shot a nasty glare at the girl, but tried. Of course he made it look like he had his own brilliant idea, and that his future success was his own doing.

"See. I did it. I guess that technique works a little bit, mixed in with my own prowess of course. Where did you come up with that? I didn't think your brain was big enough to even form half those words," Draco scoffed. Rose gave a small, victorious smile.

"Chapter one, page eight. Get your head out of your butt and read."

Rose smiled smugly to herself and turned back to Pansy as they both patiently waited for the class to end.

*********RLP*********

The next class of the day was Charms. Rose was thrilled.

Draco on the other hand was smirking maliciously. As he again had class with the Gryffindors. And Rose Potter could not be good at everything. He was sure Charms was her weakness.

How wrong he was. She was making that feather fly like she did it every say and he could just sit and watch, infuriated and honestly just completely perplexed. It must have been those blasted parents of hers. He had heard that his mother was a protégé in Charms and for Merlins sake, her father had written the Transfiguration text book!

He was sure that the next class they had together she would be terrible in.

*********RLP*********

Draco was beginning to think she was just naturally talented. She was amazing at Transfiguration and Charms, and could ride a broom like a pro. He was glad those were the only classes they had together, as he didn't think he could take any more disappointment.

*******RLP*******

What a shame he wasn't there for her Herbology class. He would have been thrilled.

"Um…Rose?" Neville prodded his friend in the hopes that he would get her attention. Her head snapped up and she looked at him with a frazzled expression.

"Oh hello Neville. How are you? Doing well? Good, good. I'm just going to try and…do whatever I'm supposed to do with this-OH MY MERLIN, IS THAT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN?"

Rose was fully panicking. Her plant was seemingly eating itself and little…green….boil type things were sprouting from the stem. Neville's eyes widened, and Rose saw.

So no. That was clearly not supposed to happen.

Neville tackled the plant and took the necessary steps in order to fix her project. After about fifteen minutes, he was somewhat successful, and Rose was somewhat angry.

Plants could go eat themselves and sprout boils in hell.

Yes Draco would have loved to see her fail so spectacularly, but really all he had to do was wait for potions the next day.

*******RLP*******

"Rose, what did you do to Malfoy in Transfiguration?" Pansy asked. She was accusing her of anything, naturally. In fact, she looked rather pleased.

"I just proved to him that the book was completely accurate and chockfull of information he should be grateful for," Rose stated firmly.

"Well, he went around for the rest of the day looking like he ate a sock soaked in lemon juice," she giggled. "So thank you, my dear. I don't believe he'll be any less pompous, and I think you just made an enemy, but hey! No loss there!"

Rose rolled her eyes. Her friend could be so mean. But at the same time so right.

"So when are we planning our first prank?" Pansy asked, rubbing her hands together in impatience.

"Well, Pans, my dad is sending me a…care package tomorrow, SO we should wait until then to see what it has to plan it."

"By care package you mean he's sending you the things you couldn't sneak past your mum, don't you?" Pansy deadpanned.

"Indeed."

********RLP*******

The first prank of the year went swimmingly. They were of course, not caught, and Draco Malfoy was of course, covered in irremovable red and gold slime. It dripped down it robe for about three days before it disappeared.

Three days. And every single one it made Rose laugh.

The second wasn't too far after, with a red haired Draco (oh how he despised that hair color) marching through the halls.

Then the third, revealing a clown nosed Draco.

Then a fourth. Which is where Draco really blew up.

"Look, Potter. Parkinson. Longbottom. I know it's you three," he growled, slamming his hand down onto the table they were working at in the library. "You have turned my hair red, made my robe a red and gold slimeball, and given me a clown nose but now, you do ALL THREE AT THE SAME TIME? WHAT IS THIS? YOU CLEARLY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO RESPECT YOUR SUPERIORS!"

The originally blonde boy was raging, and he continued to rage for a solid ten minutes, not even pausing to notice he was not being listened to. The members of the trio were too busy clutching their sides and Pansy even took the liberty of falling out of her chair.

Yes. For ten minutes he yelled and screamed and accused and stomped his pampered little feet. And for ten minutes he was not taken seriously.

As the aristocrat stormed out of the library, fury blazing in his grey eyes, Ron and Hermione walked in.

They stopped and stared at the boy for about thirty seconds before placing themselves next to their new friends.

"That was all you, wasn't it?" Hermione huffed. Pansy nodded, a proud smirk on his face. "You guys know it's against the rules! How ghastly the consequences would be if a teacher found out it was you!" she whispered harshly. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Well, I think it was brilliant. Seriously whose side are you on? Loosen up! It's how you make friends."

Hermione sent a rather hurt glance towards the red-head and got up rather abruptly. That was the last they saw of the girl that day.

The group glanced awkwardly around, wondering what they should do.

"Maybe we should just give her some space?" Neville suggested.

"Yes…space. Good one, Neville. Let's give her some space."

And with that they all got to work on their mutual Potions essay, stating the twelve uses of dragons blood and explaining why they were so important.

Eventually though, they just started making a list of the twelve used of Dung Bombs. It really was just more amusing.

**Remember, 8 reviews. And remember, 10-15 if you want an extra long chapter. **

**That is all :)**


	5. Consequences

**Chapter five! Enjoy :) again none of this is mine, it's j.k rowlings with a twist. Continue!**

Unfortunately, the group didn't think of the consequences of either mistake. Draco was now on a revenge seeking rampage and Hermione was avoiding them at all cost. She didn't say a word to Rose as she entered the dorm at night, or in the morning when she left it.

Now, Rose couldn't help but feel a little guilty about Hermione but hardly noticed the scathing looks Draco sent her way every day. And honestly, if she did, she really wouldn't have cared.

Pansy could see Draco in the corner of the common room every day, with his friends, Crabbe and Goyle. He was obviously planning something and Pansy had to find out what but every time she got close to them, they either stopped stalking or started hexing her until she left. After the fifth attempt Pansy just shrugged and gave up. She had more important things to do than sit around and hope to hear a snippet of some great gits plan.

The next morning though, Pansy wished she has pursued her little eavesdropping extravaganza when he saw Malfoy and his cronies march up to the Gryffindor table. She couldn't quite understand what he was saying, but was able to figure it out rather quickly when Ron shot up from his seat yelling, "I'm her second, who's yours?"

Pansy hardly noticed him pointing to Crabbe as she was too busy gaping.

A wizards duel? How daft could he _get? _And Rose agreed to this? How daft could _she_ get?

***RLP*****

That same morning in Transfiguration Pansy stormed up to Rose.

"What is this about a _Wizards duel _I hear?" she hissed. Rose averted her eyes from Pansy to her hands.

"Um…"

"And don't even THINK about lying because you, Rose Lily Potter, are a _terrible _liar!"

"You see…"

"How stupid can you get? A Wizards duel with _Malfoy? _I mean, come ON Rose. That boy has probably been trained in the Dark Arts since the day he was _born_."

"Pansy, I…"

"And he's a Slytherin! Do you honestly think he doesn't have something worse up his sleeve? He will _always _have something worse! And don't think he's the only one who is in on this!"

"For the love of Merlin…"

"No, you have a lot of enemies in this school. Some people find you rather arrogant, don't ask me why but they do. They think that all those pranks were just a cry for attention. Now, _I _know it's not true. _I_ know you just hate Malfoy and that's understandable, but don't think everyone will just RUN to your aid if Malfoy starts to win!"

"PANSY!"

"WHAT?"

"He's not going to win. Don't worry, ok? And don't you dare try to follow him up. I don't want you to have any more enemies than you have, and trying to stop him will definitely give him enough motive and leverage to turn a lot of your House against you."

"Rose-,"

"I can handle it." Rose smirked before continuing. "Besides, if he uses any of that Dark Magic, he'll be turned in to Dumbledore before he can say 'Quidditch'."

"Yeah, if you get out of there alive," Pansy grumbled, taking her seat.

************RLP*************

Midnight was approaching, and Rose snuck out of her Common room with Ron. Hermione had obviously seen them, but just turned her nose up and pretended she didn't know they were about to get pummeled.

They made it to the spot they had agreed on with Malfoy, and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Pansy on the other hand, down in the dungeons, was still sitting on a nice cozy sofa near the fire, watching her idiot housemate Draco play a nice game of wizards chess with a boy names Blaise.

"Hey, Malfoy, don't you have somewhere to be?" Pansy asked, a tad annoyed.

"Not…not really, Parkinson. But Filch does." Draco sniggered and Blaise smirked. Pansy on the other hand, laughed.

She actually laughed. And the boys looked up at her shocked.

"What is this, Parkinson? Find your little best friend getting into trouble amusing?"

"Well no, of course not. But I told her not to go in the first place. It's her own damn fault now," she replied, curling up and turning the page of her book.

"I told you we could make a real Slytherin out of her," Draco sneered. Blaise just shook his head in disbelief.

Pansy didn't even look up.

*********RLP********

The next day Draco was truly annoyed to find Potter and Weasley still sitting at their stupid little table at breakfast, surrounded by her stupid little friends, have a stupidly good time.

His eyes narrowed. He was clearly going to have to think of something else.

**********RLP*********

"Hey, Puke-face!" Draco shouted from his spot against the wall.

Leaving the Great Hall, Rose froze and stiffly turned around to glare at the pointy faced blonde.

"What do you want, _Malfoy?" _she hissed.

"Whoa there, pea brain. I just wanted to ask know how your night was," he smirked.

"It was _lovely_ Malfoy, thank you for caring," she snapped sarcastically. A small malicious chuckle escaped his lips.

"Watch your temper there. Wouldn't want to be caught by Filch doing things we aren't supposed to, would we?"

"That is enough, Malfoy," Rose growled.

"Really? I didn't think so. I thought I was just getting started," he smirked.

Rose pulled out her wand and was about to shout a hex when a teacher snuck up behind her. One that wasn't particularly fond of her.

"Detention, Ms. Potter, for threatening a student in the hallway. My office, 8 pm," Snape drawled.

"But sir! He was provoking me!" she whined.

"Yet somehow I did not manage to catch a glimpse of his wand. 10 points from Gryffindor for talking back and trying to blame another student."

With a flourish of his robe he was gone.

*********RLP***********

"I can't believe I have detention," Rose grumbled to Pansy over her Charms homework.

"Well what did you think?" Pansy scoffed, exasperation coloring her tone.

"I thought Draco was being a slimy git."

"And how did that lead to you not getting caught trying to hurt him?" Pansy asked.

"Because. I'm just that good?" Rose said, asking more than telling.

Pansy narrowed her eyes and glared pointedly at her best friend.

"Rose, you seem to have this extreme misconception. You are a First Year. Yes, you are good, and you should be considering how much time you spend with your father. You would have to be stupid to not pick up a few tricks. But again. You are JUST A FIRST YEAR. And these are PROFESSORS. And he is a MALFOY and Malfoy's have CONNECTIONS. Professor Snape happens to be one of those.

"So?" Rose said haughtily. "I don't see why that matters."

"BECAUSE Rose, you seem to have a certain delusion that you are invincible. You're not!" Pansy snapped. She was trying to look out for her friend, and it seemed to be going no where. As usual. "Rose you are being hard-headed and stubborn. You can't just lash out at Malfoy every time he does something to irritate you!"

"Pansy, I don't see why you're getting so worked up about this! It's one detention! And besides, are you actually defending Malfoy?" Rose asked incredulously.

"No. I'm defending you. Because you're are going to get a reality check soon, and you're NOT going to like it. And no it isn't just _one detention_. It was twelve!"

Pansy grabbed her paper and started marching away. She paused and turned around and said the thing Rose dreaded hearing most.

"And you know, Malfoy isn't _that bad._"

********RLP*********

Rose huffed into her Common Room at 7 pm. She dropped into the seat next to Neville, crossed her arms and pouted at the fire.

"Um…Rose?" Neville asked timidly.

"What?" she snapped. Neville flinched.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" she barked. "I'm going to my detention now." She stood back up, rather abruptly too, and stormed right back out of the room.

No one bothered to remind her that her detention wasn't for another hour.

********RLP*********

Unfortunately Malfoy wasn't able to just let it go. She had taken him down a notch or four—socially of course, his pride was still fully in tact—so he would return the favor. Somehow. He just had to bide his time.

In fact, he seemed to have been struck by inspiration one night, lying in bed listening to the thunder outside. Lightening flashed through the window, lighting up his grinning face.

It was a brilliant plan. It really was. But it would take time. At least a year to prepare. But he was willing to wait. It was worth it. One hundred percent.

**********RLP**********

The winter holidays soon crept up on the students, and everyone was packing. They had all been away from their parents for a solid three and a half months, and it was time they reacquainted themselves with their families.

The students all boarded the train and Rose, Pansy and Neville all found themselves a compartment. Ron's parents were going off to see his brother in Romania, so he remained in Hogwarts, and Hermione…well they really didn't know where she was.

Things between Pansy and Rose were fine. They were still best friends, and still loved each other, but Neville could tell that somehow they were a little strained. He just could figure out why and they refused to tell him. They said it was nothing.

The break was filled with visits to each others homes, family dinners and long heart-felt talks, but really was rather unremarkable.

Then Christmas morning rolled around. Rose excitedly hopped out of bed and ran downstairs. Her parents were already waiting for her, and Sirius and Remus were smiling broadly, walking in through the door.

"Hey, little Prongsette. Merry Christmas!" Sirius shouted.

"Merry Christmas Uncle Sirius, Uncle Remus," Rose smiled. "And Merry Christmas to _you _Mum and Dad!"

She ran over and gave both her parents a huge kiss and a gargantuan hug. After a few more minutes of cheery conversation they settled down in front of the tree and passed around the presents.

Thank you's were exchanged and kisses received. All in all a very merry Christmas and a very normal one too.

Just how they liked them.

*******RLP*******

Pansy and Neville both had a similar sort of day in their own homes with their own families. Sitting around a fire, sipping tea, surrounded by family and newly received presents, talking about work, school, friends and everything in-between.

However, in Wiltshire right down in the South East of England, a very different kind of family was having a very different-yet very similar- kind of day.

Draco Malfoy rose at 9:30 am as he did every day during his holidays, and walked serenely through the halls of his extensive manor house and down the grand staircase to the foyer. From there, he walked calmly (yet briskly seeing as he was still a child and no matter how dignified you are taught to be, at the mere age of eleven you are bound to be excited by the prospect of presents) into the main lounge of the mansion which was decorated supremely with gold and silver and green. Red, obviously, was not allowed in their house in great quantities. Such a loud, obnoxious color. Far too vulgar.

"Ah, Draco dear!" Narcissa cooed. She beckoned regally for her son to take a seat on the plush silk loveseat next to her, while his father, Lucius Malfoy stood with perfect poise by the fire.

By this image, it is easy to have a misconception of this family. They seemed very hard and unloving. Very cold.

This, however, is not the case. They are merely dignified. They do not stoop to copious amounts of affection as it is unnecessary. It is very simple to show their son how much they love him, with a kiss from his mother here and there, a smile from his father, and an above average amount of gifts and material items mounted under the tree.

Hugs were of course supplied when necessary, in moments of stress or worry. Of course as a child the appropriate amount of physical attention was applied to Draco, and as he grew, the love itself never faded. Just controlled to an acceptable level.

Draco himself never protested. This method allowed him to receive whatever he wanted and it's not like he was neglected. In times when he needed to be comforted, his mother would be there. In times when he needed acceptance and approval, his father would be there. In times when he needed a material object, both his mothers and his fathers Gringotts account would be there.

It was a very simple and a very much loved system. Draco approved.

So he sat with his mother on Christmas morning, receiving a kiss on the cheek and a loving, warm smile from his father. Draco grinned in contentment and demanded, in a very stately way of course, that the presents were opened.

Afterwards they proceeded to the Dining Room for Christmas breakfast and the rest of the day was spent getting ready for the Christmas Day Ball. Only the most prestigious of people would be attending. Ministry officials and the like. Draco found it exceptionally dull but was rather proud to be part of the family hosting such a grand and expensive event. By the end of that night everyone would be singing the praises of the Malfoy family, including their precious little son. Draco smugly smiled to himself and went off to his room to get ready for the night with one thought on his mind:

It was never too early to start making connections.

**Review!**


	6. Summer, Vengeful and Otherwise

**Sorry for the...well...year long wait. I'm not going to bore you with the contents of my year, but it was busy. Needless to say, Harry Potter still doesn't belong to me. **

The second term truly flew by for the quartet, living the life of frivolous First Years, without a care in the world. They suffered through their nightly homework, played the occasional prank on Malfoy (who remained suspiciously unresponsive), got caught nearly every time (mostly due to Rose's clumsy disposition and her near predictability), served their detentions and reveled in each others' company. The end of the year exams were quickly approaching, and Pansy made a firm declaration that they were to halt their shenanigans for the time being and study.

"I will not be seen with a bunch of blubber-headed fools who can't obtain an Outstanding on their exams, or possibly even _pass_ them. I do not want to see your faces for a moment outside of the Great Hall, the classroom or the Library. Is that understood?" Pansy's little speech was the cause of much upheaval amongst the small congregation and the three Gryffindors, quite frankly, felt a little betrayed.

"But _Pansy,_" Rose whined, flopping down beside her by the lake. "The weather's getting so _nice_ and the trees are so _green_ and I'm so _tired._"

Pansy glared at the raven-haired child and sniffed in indignation. "I don't believe that was my question, Rose. I believe my question was if you understood."

With a huff and a glare, the young Potter reluctantly agreed. Ron, Neville and Rose took that moment to walk dejectedly back to their common room and study.

Rose stayed down by the fire until all hours, pouring over her books, or attempting to, and casting a wary eye on the staircase leading to her dorm. Last time she went in she had encountered a very frenzied Hermione, who was, quite honestly, beginning to talk like the clinically insane. Knowing they were still on rough waters with the bushy-haired girl, Rose stole her things and left her roommate to herself most of the time.

The exams came and went, leaving the children free as hippogriffs in the wind. Summer had begun and the four friends were eagerly anticipating carefree months filled with nothing but fun and games.

That was their take on the months to come. A particular blonde haired Slytherin had a very different one. This summer would be the perfect opportunity to plot his extremely convoluted and intense revenge against a certain Rose Potter.

*********RLP**********

The two girls were sprawled out on the grass, head to head, their fingers intertwined above the heads. The moon was a gorgeous pale silver, casting a subtle glow across the Parkinson's lawn. It hypnotized the girls, keeping them out in the warm summer night far longer than they usually would have been.

"I don't want to go inside," Rose whispered, afraid to break the sacred silence.

"Then let's not."

"Isn't it dangerous?"

"Of course not. Our wards are impenetrable. I don't know why, but my parent's have this odd obsession with them. I swear on Merlin's pants, we are one step away from the Fidelius Charm."

The pair sighed. They were unknowingly thinking the same thing.

Next year they would be Second Years. They only had six short years left.

Inside the dark manor, a single light shown. The master bedroom was alight with one lamp; just enough light for Cedrella Parkinson to gaze out at her girls.

Rose was as much hers as Pansy was, and Pansy was just as much Lily's as Rose was. The thought made her smile in contentment as she watch the two friends and noted their lack of movement. It wasn't for another few moments until she realized they had fallen asleep out in the garden.

Cedrella smiled softly and made no move to bring them inside. They had no need to worry about the things she did as a child. There was no Tom Riddle to intrude and therefore no need for the wards that she checked the security of every day. Even though, she thought she would keep them up. Just in case.

She wasn't going to do anything to jeopardize her little girls' safety.

**********RLP*********

A small boy sat on a bed very disproportional to his size. He was almost swamped by royal blue sheets, down comforters and pillows, his arms not even touching the sides in his sprawled out state. He had decided to make a list. A list about Rose Potter. If he was to conduct his revenge well, he would need everything he had.

Draco grabbed a quill and an ink pot and flipped to a blank page in his handy dandy self-refilling parchment pad. He poised his quill at the top and began to write:

_A List on Everything and Anything Rose Potter for the Most Effective Revenge Ever_

_1. Loves to pull pranks._

_2. Friends with oaf Longbottom, fool Ron Weasley, and the slightly more acceptable Pansy Parkinson._

_3. Gryffindork._

_4. Black hair._

_5. Green eyes._

_6. Arrogant_

_7. Beautiful_

Wide grey eyes stared at what he had just written. Glancing around in an unnecessary paranoid gesture, he quickly crossed it out, making sure it was completely invisible behind a wall of solid black ink.

He would never admit it, but this was extremely convoluted. Not in method per se, but in motive.

Draco shook his head clear of any impurities it may have gained during the list and continued on with personality traits. She was loud, obnoxious, annoying, confident to the point of conceit, ignorant. To complete the list he of course had to add what she looks for in friends. Trustworthiness, kindness he assumed, an equal amount of obnoxiousness. That sort of person.

He sighed in resignation. If this plan was going to work, it was going to take a lot of waiting, patience and motivation to keep him going.

Draco ran a hand through his pale golden hair. This was going to be a very long year.

*********RLP*********

"Mum!" Rose laughed. "It really wasn't that bad! McGonagall didn't mind, I promise you."

Lily's mock-stern face softened into a bright smile. "Oh I know. Everyone thinks she's this big tough scary teacher, but she really isn't as bad as they say. She let your father get away with a few too many things, in my opinion. And no one else saw, but she smiled to herself whenever she found something amusing."

Lily stared off into the distance remember her days as a student. They were darker days, yes, but the best years of her life, nonetheless.

"So tell me more!" Lily snapped out of her reverie, patting her daughter's knee. It was a big year, after all. Hogwarts changes a person's LIFE! The first year there isn't something to ignore.

"What more is there to tell, Mum?" Rose laughed.

"Well let's see…" Lily trailed of teasingly. "How about boys?" A mischievous glint overcame her mother's eye.

"Well what about them?"

"Who are they? What are they like? Is there anyone…special?" Lily remembered her mother, all those years ago, asking these same questions. She smiled secretly to herself.

"Chill out, Mum!" giggled Rose. "The only boys in my life are Neville and Ron. OH, Ron's Arthur Weasley's son. You know him, right?"

"Oh, Arthur's son? Of course! Very nice man with a very nice family. I'm glad your…friends…with him?"

Lily's not incredibly subtle implication made Rose blush in disgust.

"Mum!" she moaned. "That's utterly disgusting! Of course he's only my friend!"

Lily threw her head back and laughed. Oh the days when boy's had cooties! "Of course, sweetie, how could I possibly think anything otherwise."

"There's also this boy, Draco Malfoy." Rose spit his name with such indignation and Lily looked at her daughter in shock.

"Malfoy? You've had contact with him?"

She knew they weren't a _bad_ family anymore, per se, but their name still had incredibly dark connotations. However, she made a point not to judge anyone she hadn't seen in a good fifteen years.

"Oh, I've had contact," Rose muttered darkly.

The red-head's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What did you do, Rose Lily Potter?"

"Nothing, Mum!"

Her mother glared in disbelief. "Nothing. I swear. Just a few harmless tricks. Nothing real."

"Rose, you can't just go around doing these things to people! I'm family. The Parkinson's and the Longbottom's might as well be. I understand that you've never needed to look out for these things, but it isn't good to just choose targets and fire at will!" Lily ranted.

"But Dad used to do it!" argued her daughter.

"And Dad made a lot of enemies!"

Rose paused. '_You have a lot of enemies in this school…'_

She shook her head. Pansy had no idea what she was talking about. It really wasn't as bad as she and her mother made it out to be. It was just a few harmless pranks. Honestly, what damage could they do?

"Well, anyway, tell me more about this Draco Malfoy. I hear he's quite the cutie," Lily winked. Rose choked on the air she was currently working on swallowing.

"_Mum!_"

"What?" Lily asked innocently. "It's true. Are you telling me it isn't true?"

"No! I mean…yes? Wait, which one means I hate him?"

The red headed chuckled. "Neither. We're talking purely physical."

"Well then I guess he's…sort of cute." Rose grumbled reluctantly. "You know, still an annoying _prat_ and all, but I guess he's…blonde. And tall. His eyes are kinda nice. You know, when they aren't glaring or looking at everyone with disgust."

The older woman's green eyes rolled. This sounded a little too familiar.

_Hopefully wooing is part of the famed Malfoy charm_, Lily thought. _God knows it's not one of the Potters'. _

********RLP********

James sat in his parlor surrounded by the rest of the Marauders. They were flipping through Rose's latest transfiguration text book, Transfiguration for the Second Helpings.

"Geez," Sirius sighed. "Remember when it was us learning how to do these things?"

Remus nodded woefully. "With significantly different text books, but it's all the same," she whispered.

"It seems like just yesterday this was us," Sirius continued, glancing through the instructions for turning an animal into a water goblet. They both glanced at James from their positions sprawled on the floor. His face was was illuminated by the crackling fire-their only source of light-directly in front of his armchair. He stared into it, barely noticing the attention he had drawn.

"But it's not anymore. Now it's Rose. My little Rosie."

Silence passed as Remus and Sirius pretended not to see the single tear that rolled down their best friend's cheek.

********RLP********

Finally attending a full group gathering, Rose flounced her way to the portkey that would take her to The Burrow. Well, _Pansy_ flounced. Rose attempted to follow suit and ended up falling down the stairs. Regardless, they reached their destination and found Ron outside, waiting eagerly to greet them.

"Hey, guys!" Ron yelled, hardly waiting until they were within hearing distance. He ran forward to greet them and got two massive hugs as his reward. "Neville's already arrived and he's being occupied by Mum at the moment. She's teaching him about different herbs in cooking or something. Come on!" He waved them in and they all started chattering happily until they reached the entrance to The Burrow.

Trailing a few meters behind, James and Lily watched with satisfaction. They sent each other a few looks and came to the conclusion that their daughter was in perfectly fine hands. This point was only reinforced as they entered the Weasleys' home, whose walls were positively oozing love.

Arthur and Molly came out of the kitchen just as the five had walked through the door.

"Ah! Lily! How are you?" Arthur beamed.

"I'm just fine, thanks. How are you? And you Molly?"

"We're doing alright, aren't we Molly?" Molly nodded along in agreement, smiling.

"You have a lovely home!" James commented.

"Oh, well, thank you. We know it isn't much, but we wouldn't trade it for anything!" Molly chimed in. Rose smiled sincerely from beside her parents and said, "I think it's brilliant."

A thankful smile later, Molly retreated back into the kitchen, assisted by the Potter's and her husband, leaving the children to convene in the living room. Neville had finally emerged from the kitchen after picking some basil from their kitchen plant for Mrs. Weasley.

"So, Ron! What did you have in mind for today?" Pansy asked, fluffing a pillow before laying back on it.

"Well…I don't know. What did you guys want to do? We could play a small game of Quidditch?"

"BRILLIANT IDEA!" cheered Rose. Pansy and Neville looked skeptically at the other too, wondering if it was such a good idea.

"Guys…last time I flew I broke my wrist…" Neville reminded his friends. Rose rolled her eyes.

"You've improved since then, Neville."

"Yeah…but I'm still not good."

"Neither am I! You know it's not my best skill."

"But Pansy," whined Rose, "it's just for fun. A small game of Quidditch. Come on! You and me, versus Neville and Ron. There's only four of us, it's not like it'll be normal Quidditch."

Pansy deliberated before nodding reluctantly. "Fine," she sighed. Neville looked nervous, but nodded along. He supposed he could always just sit in the background if necessary.

********RLP********

Ink stained the blonde's fingers as he finished off his final list. With his tongue stuck out in concentration, he crossed the final T's and put it to rest. The twelve year old boy smirked in pride as he stared down at his own neat scrawl.

Stretching from his long sit on his bed, Draco wondered when dinner was. Glancing at the clock he saw it was exactly four o'clock pm. He clambered off his bed and shuffled wearily to the door of his suite. Composing himself slightly, he walked down the grand staircase into the East Parlor. It was his mother's favorite room, decorated almost completely with green and white.

'_It's just so relaxing!' _his mother would say. _'I feel like I'm in a wild, but kept garden. Absolutely lovely.'_

Draco smiled. She offered this very same reason every time his father asked why she spent so much of her time in the same room.

Hearing the noise from the entrance, the blonde aristocrat looked up. "Ah! Draco! There you are. I was wondering how long you would be in your room. Come, join me on the couch." She patted the seat next to her lovingly and scooted to the left as her son complied. "So, Draco, explain. Why has my dragon suddenly emerged from his lair? And more importantly," she leaned in conspiratorially and finished in a whisper, "why did you hole yourself up in there in the first place?"

"Just...working, Mother," he confessed. Her eyebrows shot up. Her twelve year old son, on summer vacation, was working? Not likely.

"Working? My dear, what were you working on?"

"Just...things."

Examining the slight color to his cheeks and the nervousness in his speech, Narcissa smiled knowingly.

"Are these..._things_...possibly related to a girl?" She noticed her son's eyes widen, though he had yet to turn around to face her.

"No!" he answered hurriedly.

"Uh-huh. Of _course_. How silly of me. What _ever_ could I have been thinking?" She crossed her legs and brought her tea-cup to her lips, glancing slyly down at her son. Unbeknownst to him, she was already planning her grandchildren's nursery.

********RLP********

"Hurry, kids, HURRY!" Alice shrieked, juggling her purse, her son's toad and her own sense of frazzlement.

"We're_ coming_, Mum, we're _coming_!" Neville yelled, pushing his cart as fast as his small, twelve year old self could. Pansy strolled casually past them, pushing her own cart with long strides.

"Come come, children, come come." It was widely acknowledged, and widely ignored, that she was not only referring to the said children.

As Neville and Pansy boarded the train, they found Ron already settled in a compartment.

"Hey! Where's Rose?" he asked, scanning the hallway through the window in the door. Pansy shrugged nonchalantly, flipping through the pages of their potions book.

"Her parents like to say their own goodbyes," Neville offered. Ron nodded, sympathizing fully.

They all turned to their own activities, Pansy reading, Neville trying to control his far to exuberant toad and Ron trying to make his rat show any sign of exuberance at all. It had been discussed long ago that no news was the be shared until all were available

"If I've said it once, I'm not going to say it again. And if I'm saying it, the odds are that it's important. So no one is missing that." Pansy sniffed. That day a new understanding was formed and a new routine formed.

Rose, finally being deposited onto the train by her-no matter how hard her dad tried to hide it-weeping parents, she began to struggle down the aisle until she could find the compartment hold all of her friends.

The raven haired second year glanced around constantly, completely unaware of the blonde snake slithering up behind her.

Draco had been waiting for quite some time for the elusive Potter to appear, and now that she had it was game time.

This was it. This was the moment in which he could begin to enact his revenge. The two months he spent plotting will not have been in vain. She was going to regret the moment she ever slighted him and was anything less than worshipping. He would make her writhe in pain.

With a smirk only befitting a Malfoy, Draco stalked down the train aisle until he came chest to back with the offending Potter. He gave a final sneer to himself before tapping her shoulder and watched in anticipation as she twirled around.

His malicious grin turned into a sincere smile, and he leaned against the wall. "Hey there, Rose. Have a good summer? I hope you did."

He stared with the utmost congeniality, kindly awaiting his rival's response. Without batting an eye, Rose whipped out her wand and pointed it straight at his chest.

"Where is it?" she asked, becoming ever so slightly unsettled as she noticed his utterly blasé appearance remained un-phased.

"Where's what? I'm sorry, I don't know to what you are referring," he replied, a look of innocent puzzlement clouding his features.

"I don't know, but there's something somewhere," she accused, eyes narrowing as they snapped in every direction, her shoulders instinctively hunching. She straightened at the sound of his airy laughter. She paused, trying to figure exactly why it sounded so foreign, and she suddenly realized—the reason it sounded so foreign was because she had never heard him laugh before. He had snickered, sneered and jeered in malice or guilty pleasure.

Never laughed.

Rose grimaced. She had to admit it was a beautiful sound. Just...too weird to comprehend.

"Well, whatever you are referring to, it is nowhere. I promise." He rose his right hand in oath, bordering friendly mockery. Eyeing him suspiciously, she slowly put her wand away. He waited while she deposited it inch by painful inch. Finally settling it in its place, she finally answered his initial question.

"It was pleasant." Her terse answer was all she had to offer, and she quickly made her way to the end of the train and entered the last compartment. He stayed where he was, crossing his arms across his chest. His grey eyes watched as she walked away, her midnight hair swinging after her.

Again, the plot was very convoluted. Not in method, but motive. But how often is a twelve year old boy honest in his intentions? Vengeful wooing included.

**Review! **


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